


Sleep Does Not Come

by TheMalhamBird



Series: MalhamBird's Cabinet of Curiosities (fic of 500 words or less) [1]
Category: 14th Century CE RPF, Henry IV - Shakespeare
Genre: Post-Deposition, Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:47:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23427958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMalhamBird/pseuds/TheMalhamBird
Summary: The late night musings of a King who cannot sleep.
Series: MalhamBird's Cabinet of Curiosities (fic of 500 words or less) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685425
Kudos: 3





	Sleep Does Not Come

**Author's Note:**

> I am starting to transfer the fics and snippets from my Tumblr account across to Ao3 so that they’re findable. The fic below is one of them and may have been written at any point between 01/04/2020 and some time during 2018…

Sleep does not come easily to King Henry.   
There’s always more work he could be doing; he lies in bed thinking of it. And when he isn’t thinking of work, his mind strays to the bed’s last occupant: he wonders what dreams the ex-King had beneath this canopy, which of his now-dead minions he had on that mattress. Richard, Richard, Richard: the very wind carries whispers of him. Northumberland was right, all those months ago. The peasants are starting to tell tales of poor, sweet King Richard. Even the guards at Pontefract- but Henry has already seen to the matter. Exton has made good progress of removing the…over-familiar elements, and discouraging Richard from seeking new friends. And Richard’s old friends are under control, more or less (Salisbury and Carlisle, more; John Holland rather considerably less it must be admitted but then- Richard’s half-brother makes as good bait for other potential rabble rousers as any.)  
And then, there’s Edward.   
When Ned became the Duke of York, Henry demanded he serve him with all the dedication and loyalty Aumerle showed Richard. Edward had kissed him chastely on the lips and sworn he’d never given their cousin more than that; it’s a lie that Henry will let him tell. He doesn’t have Richard’s perverse tastes; he’s not interested in that particular favour. though sometimes he wonders if a bedfellow would help him sleep a little easier. His cousin looks so sad, sometimes, when he thinks no one is watching. It’s been half a year, and he still wears mourning for his father.  
The next time he’s at Court, Henry will arrange for York to share his chambers; it will be a good reminder that he still has family, and a mark of the King’s trust. And with that prospect in mind, Henry lies in bed, and waits for sleep to descend…


End file.
